casing / shell
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casing / housing
The outer, protective covering of a technical device, a machine, or a watch.
Das Gehäuse meines neuen Smartphones ist aus recyceltem Aluminium gefertigt.
The casing of my new smartphone is made from recycled aluminum.
shell
The hard, protective shell of mollusks such as snails or mussels.
Am Strand sammelten die Kinder leere Schneckengehäuse.
At the beach, the children collected empty snail shells.
'Gehäuse' (casing/shell) is derived from 'Haus' (house). The prefix 'Ge-' and the umlaut (a → äu) point to a protective covering or a kind of 'little house' for something.
Das Vogelhaus im Garten braucht einen neuen Anstrich.
The birdhouse in the garden needs a new coat of paint.
You can tell which meaning is intended from the context. Words like 'Computer' (computer), 'Uhr' (watch/clock), or 'Handy' (mobile phone) point to the technical casing. Words like 'Schnecke' (snail) or 'Muschel' (mussel/shell) refer to the animal shell.
Das Gehäuse der alten Uhr ist kunstvoll verziert.
The casing of the old watch is artfully decorated.
In a technical context, 'Gehäuse' (casing/housing) is often combined with adjectives like 'robust' (robust), 'wasserdicht' (waterproof), or 'stabil' (stable/sturdy). Typical verbs are 'das Gehäuse öffnen' (to open the casing) or 'schließen' (to close it).
Für Outdoor-Aktivitäten empfehle ich eine Kamera mit einem wasserdichten Gehäuse.
For outdoor activities, I recommend a camera with a waterproof housing.
The action of a snail withdrawing into its shell is also used as an idiom. 'Sich in sein Schneckenhaus/Gehäuse zurückziehen' means that a person isolates themselves and avoids contact with others.
Nach der Kritik zog er sich komplett in sein Gehäuse zurück.
After the criticism, he withdrew completely into his shell.
shell / bowl
Schale and Gehäuse can both refer to the hard protective shell of a mollusk. Schale is the generally understood term, while Gehäuse sounds more specific or technical and refers to the entire protective structure. In everyday language, Schale is usually the better choice; Gehäuse can also be used in a technical description.
Der Fachtext beschreibt das Gehäuse der Schnecke und seine Form genau.
The technical text describes the snail's shell and its shape in detail.
Die Schnecke zieht sich bei Gefahr in ihre Schale zurück.
The snail retreats into its shell when it is in danger.
